


For This Reason

by KayleeArafinwiel



Series: Tales of the Elmoi [1]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-08
Updated: 2013-08-08
Packaged: 2017-12-22 20:46:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/917842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayleeArafinwiel/pseuds/KayleeArafinwiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The earliest days of the royal family of Doriath, growing slowly, one addition at a time. OCs belong to me and AfricanDaisy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For This Reason

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AfricanDaisy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AfricanDaisy/gifts), [Susana Rosa (SusanaR)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SusanaR/gifts).



 

One - that was all she was. One Maia, alone. Melyanna, the beloved gift, the handmaid of Irmo and Este. She walked alone through the forests which would later be called Neldoreth and Brethil, and as she walked, she saw him. Tall, dark, but bright as the stars Lady Varda so loved. Proud...and sad. She could sense that. He had known great loss. She desired to comfort him, and clothed herself in fana, taking the form of one of his own folk - but one so bright and beautiful as he had never seen before. "What is your name?" she asked. One word. "Elwe."

Two - They were two together, each other's company in the loneliness of the wood, and they learned each other intimately as a bride and groom will. It was said later that she ensnared him and made him a prisoner of love, but it was not entirely so. Enchanting as the Maia was, he, too, had ensnared her. Her Elwe, her star in the darkness. Husband and wife, they dwelt together, each forsaking their own people to know each other alone. Melyanna knew not and, in time, cared not whether her Lord and Lady searched for her. Elwe had all but forgotten his brothers, but also had forgotten his grief. And as Melyanna and Elwe consoled each other, healed each other, a new, bright star twined the two together.

"Elwe?"

"Melya?" Melyanna smiled at the fond name.

"I carry our child."

Elwe kissed her.

Three - Elwe didn't know whether to be overjoyed or disappointed. He held their child - a beloved gift from Melyanna, his own beloved gift - but the child was a nis. A girl-child, and though she was as radiant as her mother, yet...a girl! On the shores of Cuivenen, it had been girls who were snatched more readily by the Dark Hunter. Vilye, his own mother, had been taken, her bloodied corpse found beaten and roughly used by her kidnappers. Girls and women were necessary, but defenseless against the evil of the world. She would need to be protected, unable to defend herself. "Vilye," he said softly, clutching the child. Melyanna sensed his discomfort and kissed him. "Luthien," she suggested quietly, "for she has enchanted you, has she not?" Elwe nodded. "Luthien." He would defend her.

Four - Luthien grew up slowly, slower than most Elves, and Elwe attributed it to her Maiarin blood. Melyanna was ageless, even more so than he, and it showed in Luthien. She was still exhibiting adolescent behaviour by the time he, Elwe, had been considered grown up, and it was then that Elmo rediscovered his brother. The company of Sindar was reunited, though Elwe mourned the loss of Olwe. Olwe, he thought, would have been a good uncle to Luthien. Olwe was his dearest brother, his best friend. Elmye, Elmo as he called himself, was the baby. But Elmo had grown in stature, and it was Elmo who Elwe was forced to accept as his second when the Elves formed their kingdom proper. Elmo, who doted on Luthien...spoiled her, even. Elu would keep watch. Luthien was not to be treated lightly.

Five - Elu. Elu was the name he had taken not long after Elmo came. In point of fact, it had been given to him by the newest member of the royal house. In their youth, Aearondir had been a playmate of Elwe's, a maker of nets who ‘played with the Sea’ and in doing so found food for the water-called Third Clan. Beldes had been drawn to the inventive Aearondir, and Elwe had watched in silent jealousy as their love grew. But now Elu had his love, his child...and according to Elmo, his friends had vanished, leaving their little child behind. Barandir, the fiery wanderer - Brandir, the child lisped, naming himself. Brandir. Elu. Melian. Well, if these names were easier for the child to say...for Aearondir and Beldes’ boy was his ward, now. Luthien did not take that well.

Six - Brandir attracted the attention of a young ner at court. The ellon was one of Elu's courtiers, a friend and heart-brother to Luthien. Brandir suspected the ellon thought Luthien more than that, but even at a young age, six by Elu's count, he had enough sense to keep quiet. Brandir was mostly quiet, anyway, and that was what caught the ellon's eye. "You are Brandir, are you not, little one?" The elfling gave him a miserable nod. "Would you like me to tell you stories?" Brandir brightened. Stories! The shining people who lived by the water used to tell him stories, before Atheg and Emig went away and Uncle Elmo had taken him. Atheg Elu was his now and there were no more stories, for he was not good at telling them. "Story, please," Brandir agreed. "I's Brandir."

"Daeron," the ellon said, and began his tale.

Seven - Daeron taught Brandir everything he knew, and Elu was pleased that his young ward's attention was kept from his sorrows. Attraction and enchantment, given time, helped one to forget the sorrows and grief of loss, Elu had found. It seemed his ward's love was lore, rather than romantic love, and Elu supposed there was naught wrong with that. But Elmo's wife, Aerdis, saw plenty wrong with that. "Nephew," the elleth said one day to the adolescent (annoying Luthien again in the process), "it is time you thought about a betrothal." The sooner couples were formed, the sooner they could begin to know each other and, when they were ready, produce heirs after all. Brandir, ever dutiful, said he would "think about it, Aunt," and Aerdis intended to make sure he did.

Eight - It was Aerdis who found her. Siliveth was the sister of Arvellon and Ramirith, the latter of which was nearly the same age as Brandir himself. Brandir didn't think much of either Arvellon or Ramirith - Arvellon made entirely too much of the fact that he had parents and Brandir didn't, when the King wasn't listening anyway. Luthien had heard, once, though, and she had smacked Arvellon in the face. Brandir supposed he shouldn't have found that amusing or gratifying, but he had. Elu hadn't.

Ramirith wasn't much better. Atheg Elu had hoped that Ramirith would be a playmate for him, but Ramirith seemed content to follow where his brother led. Ramirith had been first to wed, though - the girl had been following him around since they were elflings, and Arvellon demanded that Ramirith marry her just to get rid of her.

So he did. Brandir's attention wasn't focused on either of Ravondir's sons, but on his daughter. Even when they were adolescents, Brandir had to admit that Siliveth was beautiful. He courted her quietly, not making the fuss that ordinarily would be made over the King's son. It was just as well he had not.

Nine – Brandir thought about elflings before he thought about marriage. It was a rather backwards way to go about it, but when Siliveth was almost three hundred and sixty, her baby brother was born. She told Brandir he had been named _Baralin._ The similarities in their names struck Brandir, and when he mentioned it, Siliveth replied she’d suggested it to her parents. He left _Barandir_ behind forever, and embraced the name he’d given himself. His baby-name, _Bara,_ would belong to the new elfling – Brandir knew Baralin deserved better brothers, and he would endeavour to be the best.

Ten - When Brandir and Siliveth married at last, the ceremony's preparation was interrupted by the uneasy feelings of his foster mother. Melian sensed someone breaking past the wards she had set around Doriath, though she did not think they were a threat. Still, Brandir had his concerns. Would the disasters that Daireth the Seer prophesied be coming to pass at last? He held Siliveth protectively as his soon to be bride trembled in his arms. Ravondir, Halloth and young Baralin were near, too, waiting and watching, and for their presence Brandir was very grateful. He was equally grateful for Arvellon and Ramirith's absence - no doubt the two of them were sipping goblets of expensive wine that should not have been opened yet while they wondered how to blame the coming fiasco on Brandir.

Eleven – The marchwardens brought two figures before the King and Queen as the rest of the wedding party looked on. Brandir did not recognise either one, though he felt he should. They were a ner and a nis – ellon and elleth. Both were extremely weak and thin, their hair matted with blood and dirt, their clothes mere rags. Melian went to them at once, and had proper clothes brought as she used her power to make them presentable. She finished with the elleth first.

Blonde and green-eyed, that was what Brandir noticed first. Her face was lined with age, an unnatural condition for his folk, her body greatly marred – but as her gaze fell on him, it was filled with nothing but love, longing…and sorrow.

“Barandir…” Beldes fell into her son’s arms. Stunned, he clung to her.

Twelve – When Brandir was able to look up again, he saw his father standing there. _His father._ Not Elu, though the King stood nearby. His birth father, Aearondir, come back at last.

Silver-haired Aearondir, his ocean-blue gaze filled with grief and self-loathing. He looked on his son as though he could not take his eyes from Brandir, as though he feared to lose him again. “My son…forgive me.”

Brandir swallowed back tears. _They’re not dead._ He locked his gaze with Aearondir’s, knowing there would be time for tales later.

“Always, Adar.”

_The End_


End file.
